The Neverending Story

Starring: Barret Oliver, Noah Hathaway, Tami Stonach
Written by: Wolfgang Petersen, Herman Weigel 

Director: Wolfgang Petersen
Year: 1984

Rating: * * * 1/2   Stars       +       (Fan Bonus -  )  Total: * * * 1/2

A boy who loves to read finds a book in which he becomes part of the story.

Young Sebastian (Barret Oliver) is a conflicted kid. He has to deal with the recent loss of his Mother, failing grades, and neighborhood bullies. His Father wants him to forget his fantasies and become grounded in reality. His only solace is inside books. Tarzan, 10,000 Leagues Under The Sea, The Time Machine, etc, are just a few of the books he already read. But its when he meets a crusty old bookstore owner that he encounters The Neverending Story. Sebastian goes to school, but ends up in the school attic, where he begins to read a fantastic tale. A tale of a land called Fantasia, a dying young Empress (Tami Stonach), and a terrible nothing that threatens to consume everything. Turns out, the only thing that can save Fantasia, is Sebastian himself.

This is a true masterpiece of childhood fantasy. Original concepts and characters are brought to life with great acting, vivid scenery, and wonderful visual effects. Southern Oracles, a giant turtle, Falkor the luck dragon, and the Rockbiter are just a few of the colorful characters audiences will come across. The underlying motif of imagination verses banality is fully played out. Fantasia is a land created by human imagination, and the Nothing is what awaits all young children, that time when we put childish things aside. We stop dreaming, stop believing, stop fantasizing, and that kills our individual and collective spirits. In the end, the character of the Empress calls out to Sebastian, and he must decide to go against his Father's wishes and buckle down, closing the book on the Neverending Story, or dare to do what he dreams of.

SEE THE TRAILER: The Neverending Story